RESIDENTS are preparing to battle plans for a meat plant in rural Northwich.
People living in Comberbach claim a meat rendering plant at Senna Green Farm, on Senna Lane, would be 'the wrong thing in the wrong place'.
The farm's owner Ian Harrison was refused a certificate of lawfulness for it to operate as a meat rendering plant last year, but he is now taking the matter to a four-day appeal, to be heard at Wyvern House in Winsford starting on April 25. If it is successful, it will become one of 21 rendering plants in the country.
To win the appeal, the farm will have to prove the majority of its business over the last decade has involved meat rendering. But residents claim the farm has only been doing that for three years, since the foot and mouth crisis in 2002.
Members of Comberbach Parish Council drew up their objections last week. Chairwoman of the parish council Norma Clarke said: 'Unfortunately for the owners, the economy took a downturn after the foot and mouth crisis.
'That was when we first noticed the terrible smells and increase in traffic to and from the farm - it has not been trading for 10 years.
'It's a dreadfully unpleasant thing to have on our doorsteps. The farm is creating a lot of environmental nuisance - smell, noise and traffic - and it is basically the wrong thing in the wrong place.'
One resident, who did not want to be named, added: 'Every day there are 16 or so trailers with effluent dripping out and spilling offal all over the roads - if they get the approval it's just going to get worse.
'The smell is dreadful - it's like cooked dog food, it's in the air and you can even taste it. It makes you feel quite nauseous.'
The farm wants to manufacture and sell animal feed and derivatives of the animal byproducts process. If it loses the appeal, it will have to cease trading as a meat plant, though residents say they will fight the decision if it is approved by the Government inspector presiding over next month's inquiry.
Mr Harrison declined to comment on the matter.
